Conwy Wave Garden update

Conwy Adventure Leisure (CAL) can today confirm that the official contract with Wavegarden has now been signed, and that a significant 7 figure first stage payment has been made.

The signing signifies an important stage in the Surf Snowdonia project, which will bring the UK’s first inland surfing destination to fruition by early summer 2015.

Wavegarden is the industry leader in the design and manufacture of wave generation systems, having built a full-scale demo centre in Northern Spain following seven years of research and development.

The demo facility has been designed by a group of Spanish hydrological, civil and mechanical engineers – who also happen to be passionate surfers. It has been tested by the World’s top professional surfers, to rapturous approval but was not, until now, available commercially elsewhere in the World/UK.

It is this technology that will be used by the Surf Snowdonia team, signalling a World/UK-first for such a project.

The Surf Snowdonia project is currently awaiting final planning consent, with work expected to begin on-site in May.

It is intended the project will open early summer 2015 but ahead of this CAL is already in talks with a number of recruitment partners and expects to release details of senior appointments shortly. The economic impact of this landmark project includes 100 construction jobs over the build period as well as up to 60 direct jobs on site once operational. Many other jobs will be sustained in the supply chain.

Steve Davies MBE, Managing Director of CAL, said: ‘We have been working hard to set our plans for the UK’s first Wavegarden in motion and are delighted to announce the next stage of the journey.

“We have worked alongside the team at Wavegarden for some time now and are delighted to finally make good on our promise of a partnership. We thank everyone for their continued support on the project and look forward to getting on-site next month.”

Josema Odriozola, founder and CEO of Wavegarden, said: “We are very excited about signing the contract to build the UK’s first commercial Wavegarden facility in North Wales. The commitment Conwy Adventure Leisure has placed in us and our technology marks without question a milestone in Wavegarden’s history.

“Our engineers are already working hard on the production of the new 1.9m high version, which features important improvements to the quality, capacity and frequency of the Wavegarden lagoon.

“Surf Snowdonia will definitely revolutionise the village of Dolgarrog and the way people around the world engage in surfing.”